The 25 best breakthrough albums that weren't debut albums

While the band's self-titled debut introduced a dark and heavy sound, their follow-up took it to another level while featuring some of the Sabbath's most notable songs. The first side of Paranoid is true metal gold with "War Pigs," "Paranoid," "Planet Caravan," and "Iron Man." It doesn't get better than this for any hard rock, metal, or classic rock fan.

Eight albums into their illustrious career, the Floyd finally enjoyed breakout success. And it was massive. Considered one of the great albums of all time (spending 950 weeks on the Billboard charts), Dark Side took the band's past penchant for instrumental endeavors and added more bombast, polish, and a more concise, in-depth lyrical approach. Classics like "Time," Money," Us and Them," and the underrated twofer finale of "Brain Damage"/"Eclipse" are at the forefront of the group's legacy. 

Aerosmith had already enjoyed success with the classic rock radio-staple "Dream On." In terms of a quality album from top to bottom, this third effort by the band delivered in a big way. Hits such as "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion" helped the record sell a reported eight million copies. It was Aerosmith's first commercially successful album and widely considered their best.

It was a make-or-break moment for The Boss. His first two albums, while righteous in many ways, were not critically successful and failed to generate a true radio hit. His career was at a crossroads when Born to Run not only saved it but propelled him to superstardom. Sure, it's a bit cheesy at times, but the album is responsible for such timeless rock classics as the beloved title cut, spirited opener "Thunder Road," and the rollicking "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out."

Like Bruce Springsteen with Born to Run, these prog-rockers from America's heartland needed a hit. Their previous three records were ambitious and pretty impressive from a compositional standpoint but not radio friendly. Then, something clicked. Guitarist Kerry Livgren wrote "Carry on Wayward Son," and Kansas finally enjoyed mainstream success. "The Wall" and "Miracles Out of Nowhere" don't get the credit they deserve when dissecting this special album.  

By the time Rumours came out, Fleetwood Mac was a much different sounding and looking band than when it started in the late 1960s. While it was the 11th album in the band's arsenal, it was just the second with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in tow. The demise of that rock power couple's relationship provided some emotionally charged classics, such as "Go Your Own Way" and "The Chain," that helped Rumours win a Grammy and remain one of the best rock records of all time.

There were signs that Joel was ready to break out, as each of his previous four albums saw promise. As would be the case, it all came together on The Stranger. It was a perfect mix of light rock ("Just the Way You Are") and up-tempo favorites ("Only the Good Die Young"), plus the poignantly theatric "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." Put it all together, and it's classic Joel at his finest.

AC/DC was already a known commodity around the rock world during the late 1970s, yet the band had not seen consistent radio success in the U.S. That would come through Highway to Hell. The band's final record before the death of lead singer Bon Scott is arguably their best. The rocking title-cut opener, blues-infused "Girls Got Rhythm," and anthemic "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" are all among the band's best. Deeper cuts like "Walk All Over You," Touch Too Much," and "Shot Down in Flames" add to the stellar legacy of the project.

Before Hi Infidelity, REO was a quality arena rock outfit, thanks to tracks like "Ridin' the Storm Out," "Roll with the Changes," and "Time for Me to Fly." However, this album turned Kevin Cronin and Co. into a pop band, much to the chagrin of some hardcore fans. Thanks to the power ballad "Keep on Loving You," the album peaked at No. 1 and opened the door for the rest of REO's hits to sound more like Air Supply than Aerosmith from the '70s.

It can be argued that 1999 (1982) was Prince's breakthrough record, but when it came to Purple Rain, the soundtrack to his blockbuster film, he rose to the ranks of a superstar entertainer. The effort brought the eccentric or mysterious performer to the masses with a more pop-fueled record. It introduced experimental signs that he would take to new heights on later albums. The title track is still one of the great rock ballads of all time.

Michael Jackson was a special entertainer well before he released Thriller. However, none of his four previous solo records were released during the MTV era. Music television helped make Jackson the biggest star on the planet. Starting with the release of "Billie Jean," videos for "Beat It" and the title track were anticipated as much as a Hollywood blockbuster movie. With 66 million copies sold, Thriller is the best-selling album ever. 

Back when he was still a Cougar, John Mellencamp enjoyed his first commercially successful record on his third studio project. It wasn't that Mellencamp started taking his music more seriously. But he perhaps became a more personal songwriter, as evidenced on the record's first three songs: "Hurts So Good, "Jack & Diane," and "Hand to Hold On To,"

The addition of vocalist Bruce Dickinson for this third album proved to be a major difference in the sound and direction of a group that had already been well respected. However, on tracks like the title cut and "Run to the Hills," this record featured a more polished and mature sound that the band would continue to build upon in becoming one of the great bands in metal history.

Before the band would earn superior international success with 1987's Hysteria, Def Leppard's mainstream breakthrough came on Pyromania. It helped that the popularity of music videos was also exploding at the time. Songs like "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," and "Foolin'" were made to earn heavy rotation on the radio as well as MTV. And Def Leppard massively benefited.

Shipped to Vancouver and looking for a smash mainstream record, Bon Jovi made it happen. Again like Springsteen with Born to Run, critics were wondering if Bon Jovi had the chops to make a blockbuster album after their first two earned modest success. With the more pop-tinged tunes like "Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name," and the MTV look, Slippery When Wet took the band to new heights that plenty of teenage girls could not get enough of.

Slayer was never a "mainstream" band. In other words, they never sold out. The closest they came was on Reign in Blood. Metal critics consider it the best thrash album of all time, but it also features one of the great bookend moments in thrash metal history. Opening with the sinister "Angel of Death" and closing with the aggressively haunting "Raining Blood."

Much like Prince with Purple Rain, U2 was extremely popular but became a global sensation on the heels of The Joshua Tree. It was the Irish rockers' most ambitious project to date and brought to the masses an early alternative — even indie sound — in a more polished and well-produced way. From "With or Without You" to "Where the Streets Have No Name," the album is still the highlight of U2's resume and sold more than 25 million copies. 

For roughly a decade, frontman David Coverdale struggled to find commercial success with Whitesnake. He seemed on the doorstep with 1984's Slide It In but completely kicked the door down with this 1987 project. Riding the pop/hair metal wave, Whitesnake rode to the top on synch-rocking tunes like the radio-worn out "Here I Go Again" (with girlfriend Tawny Kitaen slithering around a sports car in the video) and the power ballad "Is This Love."

Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Terminator X, and everybody else involved put together one gem of a rap record. PE's debut Yo! Bum Rush the Show introduced the world to its "message" rap; this follow-up was a tour de force album of emotion and raw power. Songs like "Bring the Noise" and "Don't Believe the Hype" remain two of the great rap moments of all time.

Though Nirvana's 1989 debut Bleach earned critical acclaim, many outside of the Pacific Northwest probably never heard it. It all changed with Nevermind, which many like to credit for reshaping the state of rock music and officially ushering in grunge. Whatever the thinking, a song like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was groundbreaking for that time in mainstream music.

Five records into their career, the Chili Peppers finally created a mainstream mega-smash. Mother's Milk introduced more mainstream fans to the band, but BSSM propelled them to the forefront of an alternative music scene that blossomed thanks to MTV and newly created alt-FM radio stations. The popularity of CDs also helped, but highly polished tunes like "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge" can still hold their own in any format.

Now, plenty of Pumpkins fans think their debut Gish is the band's finest work. Perhaps. But this follow-up put the group on the international map when it came to mainstream success. Though not quite as grungy and dark as the first record, Siamese Dream has a progressive pop sound, filled with many heavy and melodic moments that were signature to the band. From the opening riff of "Cherub Rock" to the emotional "Disarm" to the happy-go-dysfunction of "Today," this album is a 1990s alternative must.

Soundgarden was always one of the heavier grunge bands out there, and it got a little more mainstream with 1991's Badmotorfinger. Three years later, it shattered the mainstream window with this Grammy-nominated record. On the strength of Grammy-winning songs "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun," Superunknown is the band's most successful album critically and commercially.

Early Green Day fans quickly point out that its first two albums, 39/Smooth (a glorified EP) and Kerplunk, are good and a raw form of pop punk. On Dookie, Green Day opened the door for the mainstream pop-punk explosion. It's a fun, fast-paced album, almost cartoonish in many ways, but safe enough that parents of middle schoolers didn't mind. Smash hit "Basket Case" still might be Green Day's best song.

Radiohead's third album was a critical success and grew on listeners. OK Computer is the record that propelled the band to eventual commercial success, drawing comparison as modern-day Pink Floyd. Songs like "Paranoid Android," "Karma Police," and "Lucky" remain a huge part of the group's legacy and concert favorites.

Winehouse put out just two studio albums before her death in July 2011 at age 27. And, her sophomore project Back to Black just might be the best of the century. Which is certainly not a stretch to proclaim. The album, which produced modern-day classics such as "Rehab," "You Know I’m No Good," and the title track, clocked in at a tidy 35 minutes, but definitely leaves the listener wanting more. Cited by various critics as "neo soul," this performance from throaty and artfully disturbing Winehouse was brilliantly produced by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. It won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Again, like others on this list, Adele made a great first impression on the music world. Her debut, 19, went eight-times Platinum, but this second released truly introduced the planet to the young artist's amazing vocal abilities. And, it was the way she brought out her emotions, lyrically, following a break-up that truly hit home with critics and fans. With Rick Rubin and Paul Epworth on the production, 21 won the Grammy for Album of the Year. The record featured three international No. 1 hits in "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone like You," and "Set Fire to the Rain."

Not take anything away for the way Kendrick Lamar burst onto the mainstream music scene, He certainly made a name for himself with his stellar debut Section 80. However, it was only one year later, when he was back with one of the great records of the 2000s in Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. Lamar’s major-label debut featured Dr. Dre and Pharrell Williams among a host of producers. His honest and uncensored story of life in Compton earned the rapper four Grammy Award nominations. The Dre-aided single “The Recipe,” and “Backseat Freestyle” showcase Lamar’s genius as a storyteller.

Punisher was the second solo studio album from Bridgers, who seemed like she was building to this moment -- as both a performer and songwriter. Somewhat of a labor for love for Bridgers, Punisher took 1 1/2 years to record. She's somewhat of an old soul when it comes to her sound, which definitely has an indie flavor. Which is on full display here. It can be described as an emotional record, in terms of balancing what's inside, and how fans also see her out in the world. The lead single "Garden Song" has an undeniable folk vibe, while the Grammy-nominated "Kyoto" offers a tasty '90s alternative sound that should lend itself to the grown-up 120 Minutes crowd.

Charli XCX was an established star long before the release of Crash, but her most recent release should be the considered the best of her five studio albums. It was also her first project to crack the top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart (peaking at No. 7) in the United States. Something that certainly qualifies as a breakthrough. Interesting to note that this is her final album for Atlantic Records, which makes for an intriguing future for the English pop and dance singer-songwriter. A true dance-pop gem. Crash produced five singles, highlighted "Good Ones" and "Beg for You."

For those casual music fans not familiar with this talented singer-songwriter, then run out and give her a listen. She'd worked with the likes of the aforementioned Charli XCX and even wrote for Beyoncé, but here, on her fourth studio album, the overall talent possessed by Polachek is on full display. Music critics have already hailed Desire, I Want to Turn Into You as one of the top albums of 2023. Undeniably pop, but with some alternative flair, the record already generated buzz due to singles released in 2022. Notably, the new-age "Billions."